The award marks the third Golden Globe for the Australian actress, who previously won for her lead role in "Elizabeth" (1998) and her supporting role in "I'm Not There" (2007). She has an additional six Globe nominations.

For Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine" fulfilled a long-standing goal of working with Allen, who called her at her Sydney, Australia, home in 2012 and told her he had something for her.

To prepare for the role, she conducted research trips to the shops, cafes and restaurants of Manhattan's Upper East Side, did sessions with a vocal coach and met with costar Sally Hawkins to hash out their characters' sibling relationship.

Blanchett beat Sandra Bullock as a stranded astronaut in "Gravity," Kate Winslet as an emotionally fragile single mother who falls for an escaped convict in "Labor Day," Judi Dench as an Irish mother searching for the child she was forced to give up for adoption in "Philomena," and Emma Thompson as the prickly author and Mary Poppins creator P.L. Travers in "Saving Mr. Banks."

The 71st Golden Globes are being held at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, at a ceremony hosted by Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

See what the stars had to say before and during the Golden Globe Awards. Golden Globes 2014: Full coverage | Show highlights | Top winners and nominees | Red carpet arrivals | Best & Worst | Complete list | Main story | Nominee reactions

"12 Years a Slave" went into the 71st Golden Globe Awards on Sunday night with seven nominations but was passed over again and again. That is, until the last award of the evening, and arguably the best of them all. The harrowing portrayal of slavery in America took home the prize for best drama...